Game.



UNITEDV [STATES PATENT OFFiCE.

JAMES J. BILLINGSLEY, OF KINSMAN, OHIO.

GAME.

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,647, dated August 8, 1899.

Application iiled August 5 1898. Serial No. 687,874. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concer-7e:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. BILLINGSLEY, of Kinsman, in the county of TrumbulL-St'ate of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Games, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsand to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to a parlor or indoor game of skill ofthe class which is generally played bytwo players with movable pieces or men upon a checkered board in the manner of chess, checkers, or other games of like character; and it consists of a board or table of novel construction and of pieces or men, being those used in the well-known game of chess with the addition of a new and original piece for eachv player 'and having a new object ingames of this class, the arrangement and moves of the pieces, and the rules of the game, as hereinafter morefully described.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this.l specification, Figure l shows the plan and arrangement of the board or table, consisting of eighty-one (81) squares of nine (9) parallel rows,with nine (9) squares in each row, and checkered after the manner of a chess-board by using different colors or other distinguishing marks on` alternating squares and having the newv and original feature of having the middle rows of squares A to B and O to D (which cross each other at right angles in the center ofthe board) further distinguished bythe use of a third color or other distinct mark, which lines of squares A to B and O to D, I shall call barricade lines,7 the use of which I shall more fully describe hereinafter. I prefer to mark the squares of the barricade-lines with a circle within each square and use a third and distinct colorin all the space within the barricade-lines and outside of the circles so drawn, as shown at A to B and C to D. The square in the center of the board common to both barricade-lines I shall call the throne or kingdom. y

Fig. 2 shows the pieces used in play. E is the crown prince, represented by a human head-a new and original piece and for which I prefer to nameV the game, it being-the most important piece used in play. The remaining piecesv I prefer to have in design and Vthe game. ,pieces are those used inthe well-known game of chess, with the following additions and exname the same as those used in the well-known game of chess. F is a king, represented by a-f'crown and scepter. G is avqueen, represented by a smaller crown. II ,is a bishop, represented by a mite-r. Jzis a knight, represented bya horse-head. lK isa rookor castle, represented by a tower. f. L is a pawn, represented by a small gure,las shown. The forml of the pieces isimmaterial, and they may bel made of any suitable substance,either in disks, as shown in vF., F, GHH,V J, K, and

VL', or in standing figures, as shown in E' and J', or any other suitable form, so that the design may be preserved.

Fig. 3 shows the board or table with the pieces arranged in order ready for play.

There are seventeen (17) pieces used by each player, arranged on the board as follows: On

the row of squares nearest theplayer, on each end of the row, is placed a rook or castle, next to each rook aknight, next to each knight a bishop, and on the three (3)remaining squares a crown prince is' placed in the center of the row, and next to the crown prince on the right aV king and onV the leftfa queen. In front of these, on the second row of squares from each; player, are placed... eight pawns, one on each square, excepting thesquare in front of the crown prince, as shown. The object of each player is to get his crown prince vto the throne or kingdom in safety or to checkmate his opponents crown prince, which ends The moves and powers of the ceptions: A pawn may not move two squares on itsfirst move. No piece may cross a barricade-line in a single move, excepting the knight,whose powers remain unchanged. On reaching the barricade-line O D a pawn may move or capture toward or on the thronesquare along the barricade-line, and on reaching the throne-square or any square on the king row or row nearest the opposing player a pawn may be replaced by any piece already captured vfrom the board. A bishop in the barricade-lines may move alongl said lines, (rooks move,) but'must remain on its own color. The crown prince may be attacked and checkmated (as a kingin chess) and has the same moves and powers as the kin g, excepting that the king may be captured roo'r as other pieces. Castling is not allowed; but the crown prince and the king may exchange places, when on contiguous squares, once during each game, which exchange shall constitute a move.

The advantages of this game and board with its barricade-lines, as described, over chess and the usual board used in playing (chess presenting greater similarity than any other game) are as follows: First, the range of the pieces is more limited in the game of crown prince, while they retain their peculiar moves and powers,with the slight changes necessary to adapt them to the new purpose and plan of play; second, the barricade-lines divide the board into four (4) distinct parts, in each of which the pieces are safe from immediate capture by all pieces outside of its border-lines, excepting by a knight, whose move is limited to short range; third, the new object of this game (to get the crown prince to the kingdom or throne in the center of the board) gives an unchanging objective point to be guarded and reached, while in chess the objective point moves with the king about the board; fourth, this objective point or throne-square, being in the center of the board and touehingall four (4) divisions made by the barricade-lines, is so situated that it may be guarded or reached from all parts of the board and protected by pieces underguard ofthe barricade-lines. Neitherchess norany other game known to me possesses these advantages.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A game-board composed of an equal number of playin g-squares in each direetion,which are alternately arranged and distinguished, the central row in each direction being distinguished from the other rows and extending from side to side across the board, and gamepieces adapted for use upon the board, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Kinsman, Ohio, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES J. BILTJNGSLEV.

Witnesses:

R. K. IIULsE, JOHN S. IIoitLlNiisnnAh. 

